A dead dog was found on the podium of a block of flats in Hong Kong on Monday, prompting an investigation into whether it was thrown from the building – the third suspected case in two months.

The animal, a male adult chow, had an identity chip and authorities were looking for its owner, a source said.

A security guard called police about the fall at 9.43am. The dog was found on the first-floor canopy of the 34-storey King Tai Court in San Po Kong.

A source said the dog suffered leg fractures and blood was found in its mouth.

A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) spokesman said its inspectors helped police conduct door-to-door inquiries at the residential block and were collecting evidence. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will conduct an autopsy.

In Hong Kong, cruelty to animals carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,500).

On April 4, a 23-year-old man was arrested for animal cruelty over the death of a Japanese spitz that was thrown from a building in Cheung Sha Wan. The animal had days earlier been rescued by police from Victoria Harbour.